Building Resilience as a Foundation
Resilience — our capacity to adapt and move forward through times of change and difficulty — requires that flexibility, support, and foresight are built into the foundation of our institution.
That’s precisely the mission of the Division of Administration and Finance at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, whose dedicated staff members lead meaningful support services across campus that promote public safety, sustainable infrastructure, financial prudence, and our auxiliary partnerships. This past year, DAF leadership helped shepherd numerous projects that demonstrate alignment with ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ’s mission to cultivate resilience, a cornerstone of Beach 2030’s strategic priorities.
With the hiring of a staff equity and inclusion advisor, DAF leaders are furthering their goal of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñequitable hiring and retention practices at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, a practice crucial to strengthening and enriching our institution. Raul Pacheco took on the role in early 2023, serving in an advisory capacity by providing guidance to the campus community for including equity and diversity in management and staff hiring, creating equity-related training and training materials, assisting in establishing clear hiring metrics, and collaborating with DAF leadership regarding equity issues and recruitments. Through the creation of this position, DAF leaders are building resilience into the fabric of our hiring practices, fortifying ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ through a fair and just process that affirms our commitment to equity and data-driven action.
Meanwhile, the division launched a handful of new programs this past year designed to promote sustainability and support transformations in access, resilience, learning, and engagement.
To encourage sustainable transportation modes, a new bike lock program rolled out in collaboration with University Police, ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ housing, and the Division of IT. The program aims to prevent bicycle theft, giving campus community members confidence that they can reliably commute to and from ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ with public safety on their side. When students register their bike with the police department, they can get a secure U-lock with a corresponding code. In the event their bike is stolen and recovered, this program will help police identify the student’s property.
Promoting alterative and sustainable forms of energy, another program has equipped our campus with over 20 solar powered golf carts. Used frequently by leadership and facilities employees, these carts are practical and efficient, but until now, have relied on gasoline. Modernizing our institution with technologies to withstand climate uncertainty and champion sustainability is a tenet of our Beach 2030 mission to cultivate resilience.
In addition, a handful of modern outdoor classrooms were completed this summer, equipped with shade, accessible seating, AV, power, WiFi, and a writable teaching wall. If the pandemic era has taught us anything, it’s that establishing forward-thinking mechanisms that enable us to be nimble in times of rapid change is advantageous and necessary. These four classrooms will be available for any professor to reserve, and can also be used as general study space for students.
Whether it’s hiring, building, safety, or budgeting, the Division of Administration and Finance is the support team bolstering resources for all campus. Through its many initiatives, division leaders are strengthening ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ through innovative, entrepreneurial, and forward-looking actions.
